In all my years of consulting, I’ve heard business leaders complain too often about “getting people on the bus.”  But what if the problem isn’t the people, but instead where the bus is going or who is driving it?  As humans, we never want to believe that we are the problem or that we are causing our own challenges, but when it comes to “motivation,” especially when it has to do with staff, we usually are at the root of it.

Think about it – if a bus is heading somewhere fun and exciting and will get there safely, don’t most people want to join in?  So if you’re having trouble “getting people on the bus,” the problem is probably you.  And most likely, it isn’t intentional.  Generally, business leaders that I’ve worked with don’t realize how they are forcing their staff off the bus.  That, if the situation was to change, even a little bit, people would not only gladly stay on the bus, they would also help fix a flat tire.

So how can you get from where you are to where you want to be?

First things first, in trying to get people on the bus, don’t forget about the people who are already there.  (Side note: this applies to both employees and customers) It’s easy to forget about these people because you may think, I’ve already got them onboard, now let me work on the rest.  But what many business leaders fail to realize is that while you’re focused on getting new people in the front door, other people are using the back door of the bus to walk out.  There is no way to block the door, the only way to keep people on the bus is to give them a reason to stay.

With customers, it’s fairly straightforward – create products and experiences that customers are happy with and keep those products and experiences in line with what customers want, even as their desires change.

With employees, how do you keep them on the bus?  You’re not creating products for them, so they only have their experience with you.

Many businesses think in terms of perks, benefits and salaries, but the challenge here is – does it really align with what your employees want?

Maybe your employees would take a lower salary for better work conditions.  Maybe your employees would take subpar work conditions for a higher salary.  Do you know?  Do you know them well enough to know what they prioritize?

How can you keep people on the bus if you’re not sure they like the seats?  And how do you know if they are happy with the seats if you don’t ask?  You can’t and you won’t. 

And truly, most employees will not stay at an organization for the free bagels and foosball table.  They stay because they are happy.  Happy with the environment, happy with the conditions, happy with their personal workload, happy with their type of work, happy with the direction the organization is taking, happy with the job senior leadership is doing, happy with the reputation of the organization, happy with how their reputation is affected by the reputation of the business, and happy with how they are treated.

Often business leaders will claim that they are not in business to make their employees happy, and there may be some truth to that.  But what is also true is that happy employees will lead to happy customers.  Happy employees will do whatever it takes to show customers just how great a company it is.  And the reverse is true.  Unhappy employees will show customers just how terrible a place it is to work, either directly or indirectly.

So what leads to happy employees?  Competent leaders, a shared vision for the future, a shared path to get there, a feeling as though they are an important part of the journey to success for the organization and, more importantly, will be recognized as such.

Also, transparency – tell your staff what you are up to; you’re not a mind reader and neither are they.  They will not know something if you don’t voice it.  Leading to communication – communicate with your staff regarding anything that will affect them, everything and anything.  Nothing says disrespect more than not letting someone know, or be a part of a discussion, regarding something that will affect them.  Fairness – equal treatment and resources.  Give everyone an equal opportunity to do their jobs successfully.  No one likes to be set up for failure, especially when others are set up to succeed.  Growth potential – most employees do not want the same job for the next 40 years and if they do, you’ve got a different problem.  But let your employees grow with the organization.  Isn’t that a sign of a healthy relationship?  That you grow together?  And respect – listening, not just hearing, what your employees are trying to tell you.  Appreciate when they tell you something, especially things you may not want to hear but are really important for you to know, and then take action on what you’ve learned.  Don’t dismiss someone and their words just because they aren’t you or not your words.  Condescension will get you nowhere.  

People will stay on (or get on) the bus if it is going somewhere they want to go, being driven by someone they trust and is an enjoyable experience along the way.  If they share the vision but don’t trust the driver or hate the other passengers, they will transfer to a different bus going in the same direction.

Stop getting in your own way by unconvincing the convinced.  If they are already on the bus, it’s not that difficult to keep them there.